Thanks! I appreciate the help.

Gardengal,

Do you know where either of those products can be purchased? I called all the big Seattle nurseries (Sky, West Seattle, Magnolia, City People's, and Swanson's) and none of them carry either product.

I'm not sure what they are telling you or if you got someone one the line that doesn't know, but for sure Swanson's, City Peoples, West Seattle and Magnolia carry G&B products according to their websites (and according to the Kellogg's website as local retailers). They may not carry the entire range of G&B products but they DO carry them. They are also available at selected HD's in the area.

FWIW, the Blue Ribbon potting soil may have been superseded by the Eden Valley blend potting soil or just the plain old G&B potting soil. Either are perfectly acceptable substitutes for the Blue Ribbon.

Alternatively, you could look for the alternate Kellogg's label - the Master Nursery brand. These are the same exact formulations as the G&B products but just marketed under a different label. They tend to be sold at more rural or suburban nurseries and garden centers, For example, they are sold at all the GC's here in Kitsap County.

If you really can't find any close enough (and I can't imagine that's the case), you can consider the E.B. Stone soil products - they are very similar in composition and quality and carry a similar range of bagged products. Many of these same nurseries carry both. Another excellent (but very pricey ) alternative is Fox Farms' Ocean Forest potting soil - it is the potting soil of choice for pot growers :-)) Also carried by most of these same places.

Thanks! You are correct - they all carry G&B, but none carried the Acid Mix or the Blue Ribbon. Good to know that the regular G&B soil is acceptable in place of the Blue Ribbon. Could I just add some extra peat to it as a substitute for the Acid Mix?

I wouldn't - it will not produce the same results and additional peat to the mix could impede drainage.

There shouldn't be any issue for these retailers to bring in some acid planting mix if you request it. Or substitute with the E.B. Stone Azalea and Camellia soil - it's available at Sky.

Interestingly, although it's been some years ago now, but when I worked at Swanson's they carried a complete range of ALL the G&B products. That's how I became familiar with their soils and started using the acid planting mix. Same at Emery's, now closed. Perhaps there was just not the demand to continue carrying that specific product.

Small update: West Seattle nursery carries the Blue Ribbon potting soil. Sky also carries the E.B. Stone Azalea and Camellia Mix and the Ocean Forest soil.

None of the retailers I spoke with claimed they could special-order the G&B Products for me without ordering in bulk (by the pallet), but I'll definitely give the products available at Sky and West Seattle a try!

Thanks again!

If all else fails, the Grange Co-Op in Sequim has all of the G&B products. Every year I get a truckload there to use in my parents vegetable large gardens when I plant in the spring. I would also recommend using another amendment, that I discovered this season and has made a huge difference in my crops. Hendrikus Organics Organobloom 5-2-4. I get it at the Squak Mt. Greenhouses & Nursery in Issaquah, but Sky and City People's should have it. I think I paid $11 for a bag that took care of my 7'x12' greenhouse all summer.

https://shop.grangecoop.com/departments/soil---amendments--586.html